Chad Andrews knows road bikes. The Cat 2 racer is the owner/operator of Per4mance Training, a holistic training center in Charlotte, North Carolina that’s responsible for sending countless pro bikers to the podium and pushing recreational riders to a new level of performance. We asked Andrews and his professional staff of coaches to tell us about their two favorite road bikes in 2008.
ROAD BIKES
THE ROAD WARRIOR: GIANT TCR $1,070
You don’t have to spend five grand on a bike that performs well on the road. And honestly, unless shaving your legs is mandatory for your job, you probably shouldn’t spend that kind of cash on a bike. All hail the Giant TCR, which brought race-level technology to an entry-price bike. Think of it as Reagan’s “Trickle Down Effect.” Some of the best design features found in Giant’s TCR Advanced (a top-of-the-line, hand-crafted race bike ridden by the T-Mobile Team with a price tag of $6,000) can be found on the shockingly affordable TCR. You get the same compact road geometry that the entire TCR line is famous for, decent Tiagra components, and compact gearing, which allows recreational riders to spin on the climbs and muscle down the descents.
“This is the ultimate beginner’s racing bike,” Andrews says. “It’s a great mix of components, design, and value.”
So what are you missing by buying the $1,000 TCR as opposed to the $6,000 TCR Advanced? The components are different on each bike, but the biggest difference is frame material. Instead of the carbon fiber that most high-end road bikes are made from these days, the TCR is made from aluminum. Obviously, this adds a little weight and affects the overall plushness of the ride. To help mitigate this, Giant added a carbon seat post to the aluminum frame, which helps dampen road buzz, a concession you can live with considering the low price tag.
THE RACE BIKE: TREK MADONE 5.5 $4,399
Okay, you’ve seen the Madone before. It was the bike that Lance rode to victory time and time again, a feat that propelled the Madone to near legendary status. But some time has passed since Lance held the Madone over his head after a race, and some of the luster has worn off the bike’s image. Which is why Trek threw out the old Madone and started brand new with the 2008 model, introducing some key design traits that promise to breathe new life into this old bike’s reputation and challenge the status quo of race bike building. The new Madone is rebuilt from the ground up, but the two key design breakthroughs that you’ll care about involve the bottom bracket and the seat tube. First, the bottom bracket is roughly 30% larger than your standard bottom bracket, which enables Trek to use an oversized down tube, adding torsional rigidity and lateral stiffness without adding extra weight. The result is a more stiff, nimble, and responsive ride than most other carbon fiber bikes on the market. The second big development with the new Madone is a semi-integrated seat tube, which means you no longer have to take a hacksaw to your carbon fiber seat post.
“With most carbon bikes, you have to cut the seat post,” Andrews says. “If you cut the carbon and screw it up, it’s over. You need a new bike. The Madone has a sliding system with changeability.”
The new design features cut almost a pound of weight off the old Madone, and add a much-needed sense of flair to this industry standard ride. The result is a very pretty, super-light, performance-based ride for serious bikers looking for podium finishes.
——————–
MOUNTAIN BIKES
2008 is the year your mountain bike becomes smarter than you. Two major bike manufacturers (Specialized and Trek) have redesigned their cornerstone bikes, introducing significant new suspension technologies that industry insiders say will change the way full suspension bikes are ridden. Always skeptical and always thinking of our readers, BRO tested both the new Trek Fuel and Specialized Stumpjumper FSR, pitting the new suspension systems against each other in a head to head battle. We took both bikes over the same terrain to see how each performed up the long climbs, over logs, through technical roots and rock, and over sweeping downhills.
STUMPJUMPER FSR
Bike Tested: Stumpjumper FSR Expert $3,700 Top of the Line: Stumpjumper FSR S Works: $7,400 New Technology: Brain Technology Future Shock S120
Hype: The Brain system is supposed to only engage when needed. If you’re pedaling over smooth terrain, the suspension stiffens up. As soon as you hit a bump, the suspension engages. Specialized introduced the Brain in ‘07, but it was a little sluggish and slow to engage. The ’08 version has been completely redesigned to address those issues.
Performance: Has Specialized worked the kinks out of their Brain technology? Absolutely. On smooth, flat surfaces and climbs, the rear suspension stiffened, eliminating the pedal bounce you often get on other full suspension rides. Our testers felt all of their energy was transferred directly to the pedal, losing nothing to the suspension. As a result, the Stumpjumper climbed cleanly and efficiently, as long as the rider stayed in the saddle. Stand up to pedal through a steep or technical climb, and the suspension engages and your pedal strokes become squishy, just like any other full suspension bike.
The Stumpy had superior control at high speeds on the downhill, even though the geometry is more compact than other bikes found at this level, putting the rider in more of an upright position than expected. Even with the higher center of gravity, our testers had great control over the bike through berms, rock gardens, jumps, and whoop-de-doos. We took the bike on a specific downhill that alternates between smooth red clay and gnarly root systems, and the Brain suspension transitioned seamlessly.
TREK FUEL EX
Bike Tested: Trek Fuel EX 9: $3,409 Top of the Line: Fuel EX 9.5: $6,159 New Technology: R1i Suspension Intelligence and the Active Braking Pivot
Hype: The new Active Braking Pivot system keeps the rear suspension engaged when the brakes are engaged, resulting in more control through sharp turns (less skidding, less skipping). The new shock is also mounted on two moving links instead of the industry standard one. The extra moving link at the bottom of the rear shock is intended to give you a super plush feel and make the most of the travel.
Performance: The performance of the duel linking suspension system can’t be overstated. With most full suspension bikes (including the Stumpjumper) the rear shock rarely maxes out, so if you’re riding a 4-inch travel bike, you’re actually only squeezing 3.5-inches of travel out of your suspension. The extra link at the bottom of Trek’s rear shock moves when needed just like the top link, allowing the rider to sink through all 4.7 inches of travel in the bike’s rear suspension. The extra travel was noticed and appreciated on a downhill with big waterbar drops. The Active Braking Pivot (ABP) system also lived up to its hype. On an extended downhill with high berms and big whoop-de-doos, the ABP kept the rear suspension engaged regardless of how hard our testers hit the brakes, allowing the testers to push high speeds through turns while remaining in control of the back end.
While the Stumpjumper uses the Brain technology to eliminate pedal feedback, Trek accomplishes something similar by carefully positioning the main pivot of the swing arm so that when you’re in the middle chain ring (where you spend the majority of your time), the rear suspension stiffens automatically. Drop in the lower chain ring for a steep climb, and the suspension softens. However, the Fuel rear shock comes with a quick lockout switch–a standard feature that came in handy on a couple of extended climbs during testing. Lock the suspension out, and the Fuel is as nimble and responsive as any hardtail through steep, technical terrain.
BOTTOM LINE
The Stumpjumper’s Brain technology worked exactly the way it was supposed to, helping to bridge the gap between the power of a hardtail and the cush ride of a soft tail. The Fuel’s suspension and braking system isn’t as technically advanced as the Stumpjumper, but it offers similar results. The dual pivoting links surrounding the Fuel’s shock offer a more plush ride than the Stumpy without sacrificing weight or power. The Active Braking Pivot system kept our testers in control of their bike regardless of how fast they whipped through turns, and the simple, often overlooked shock lockout accomplishes what the Brain accomplishes, but with more customizable results. All of these factors make the Trek Fuel EX BRO’s Editor’s Choice.
——————–
APPAREL & ACCESSORIES
LAKE CX 230C ROAD SHOE
Full leather upper and a one-piece carbon fiber sole bring this shoe in at a sleek 300 grams and helps transfer power straight to the pedal. $179.
SIXSIXONE FLIGHT TRAIL SHOE
Vented microfiber and mesh upper let your feet breathe on hot days while the ultra stiff midsole transfers the power straight to the pedal. $130.
LOUIS GARNEAU TITAN CARBON HELMET
What’s the difference between a road helmet and a mountain helmet? Mainly paint colors and marketing. The Titan Carbon is a tough, sleek helmet that’s reinforced with carbon and titanium to help strengthen the structure. And really, superior strength should be what you’re looking for, whether on the road or on the trail. $169.
ZOIC PARAMOUNT JERSEY
A mountain bike jersey with mother earth on its mind, the Paramount is 43 percent bamboo, softer than butter, antibacterial, quick drying, and easy on both our natural resources and your wallet. $45.
PEARL IZUMI WOOLIE MAMMOTH
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you have to stop riding. The Thermawool Woolie Mammoth keeps you warm while controlling moisture. And everyone knows wool don’t stink, so you can wear it to the bar after the ride. $99.
PEARL IZUMI GEL-VENT AEROSENSOR ROAD GLOVE
The gel inserts in the palm do a good job absorbing road shock while the entire glove breathes better than a ventilator. $45.
LIGHT AND MOTION STELLA 180-L
With everything else in the bike industry going featherweight, it was only a matter of time before our beefy bike lights started shaving pounds. The Stella 180-L might be the lightest of the bunch that still packs the power of the sun. The Stella features 180 lumens of super-white light with a five hour burn time on the highest setting and a total system weight of 300 grams. The battery is only 3.5 inches long and weighs seven ounces. $299.
PARK IB3
Every hex wrench you could possibly need, a tire lever, a chain tool, two screw drivers, and a spoke wrench. You could feasibly take your entire bike apart and put it back together with this tiny multi-tool that weighs less than 7 ounces. $19.99.
HINCAPIE PERFETTO JERSEY
South Carolina native and pro cyclist George Hincapie continues to do good with Hincapie Sportswear, a full line of cycling apparel and accessories. The Perfetto is a simple jersey that wicks moisture with the best of them and won’t have you looking like a circus clown at your Wednesday night ride. $89.
DAKINE DEFENDER TRAIL GLOVE
A full-fingered battle-ax of a glove equipped with armored knuckles and a palm skid pad. You want this glove if you continually find yourself at odds with the environment around you (read: frequent endos). $40.
BLACKBURN DELPHI 5.0
The Delphi is a wireless computer with the added bonus of a heart rate monitor and a wired cadence transmitter. All of the Delphi’s features can be integrated into a seamless display of info that would impress any tech junkie. But what’s truly great about the Delphi is that you don’t have to be a techie to figure out how to use it. Start pushing buttons and you can have the thing working in just a few minutes without even reading the directions. $99.
TOPEAK TWO TIMER
CO2 is nice, but you don’t always have fresh cartridges on you. The Two Timer combines a CO2 pump with a standard hand pump so you’re never left in the woods holding a limp tube. $29.
DEUTER RACE AIR LITE
The Air Lite only has 350 inches of cubic space, but there’s plenty of room for energy bars, a jacket, multi-tool, and some tubes. And Deuter’s Air-Comfort system actually works to keep your back dry on long rides. Bonus: the zippers lock together so you don’t have to worry about losing your keys in the middle of the woods. $79.
——————–
ROLLING YOUR OWN
Mountain bikes have about as long of a shelf life as computers. Every year, there’s some “revolutionary” development that makes last year’s model obsolete. The industry moves fast, the hype is tremendous, and don’t get us started on the price tags. Imagine what your grandfather would say if he saw you drop five large on a bike. These harsh realities have sparked a mini-revolution of homemade bike building.
To some, building your own bike sounds about as foreign as building your own car. But to people like Gabe Houlguin and Thad Johnson of Asheville, N.C., homemade bikes are simply the next step in biking’s evolution. Houlguin and Johnson started building their own frames three years ago, slowly establishing a reputation for solid steel frames and singlespeed and fixed gear rigs tailored for Pisgah singletrack. Eventually they formed Smoke Bikes, a small company operating out of Houlguin’s garage that offers custom made mountain bikes tailored for Pisgah singletrack for a fraction of the cost of an industry bike.
BRO: What made you decide to start building your own bikes?
HOULGUIN: We love bikes, and we’ve ridden all kinds of bikes with all the latest technology, but at some point, we started questioning all the hype surrounding these bikes. If you’re competing at an elite level, maybe you need all that stuff. But how much technology do you need to ride trails? With Smoke Bikes, we’ve tried to get back to the simplest form of riding possible.
BRO: Is that why you only build singlespeeds and fixed gears?
HOULGUIN: Definitely. When you start adding stuff to the bike, there’s so much that can go wrong. Fixed gears are our passion, because you take the machine out the equation. You’re actually turning your body into the machine. Your body propels you, your body stops you. Your body dictates exactly how you ride every piece of that trail.
BRO: Honestly, how difficult is it to build your own bike?
JOHNSON: The beauty of it is that anyone with reasonable mechanical skills can build their own frame. Gabe and I are just average dudes that have enough confidence in our abilities to figure out frame building. But it was definitely a learning process. It’s taken us three years to get to the bikes we’re building today.
HOULGUIN: We did a lot of research before we built our first frame, but we figured, instead of spending thousands of dollars on another “latest and greatest” bike, why not invest that money in some frame-building equipment and build our own bike? Of course, the bike industry doesn’t want people to think that way.
JOHNSON: Definitely not. It’s big business. Look at any trailhead in Pisgah. There’s a lot of money on those bike racks.
HOULGUIN: Yeah. The last thing the industry wants is for people to start building their own bikes in their garage. But the truth is, for under a grand, you can get started building your own frames. After that, it’s only a matter of deciding how many bikes you want to have.
BRO: Is Smoke Bikes the next Litespeed?
JOHNSON: I don’t know about that. We want to sell frames, but primarily, we’re just “rolling our own.” For us there’s a certain pleasure to pedaling through the woods on a frame that was built by our own hands. It gives new meaning to the term “Soul Ride.”